Electioneering Guidelines During Election Campaign

A provincial election is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2024. 

The event may raise the possibility that political candidates will seek to involve Island Health staff and facilities in their election campaigns. Please adhere to the following guidelines to help address any such requests from now until election day, and to ensure Island Health remains non-partisan during the election campaign.​

Employees Endorsing, Campaigning for, or Running as a Candidate

As a public agency, Island Health employees are expected to operate in a non-partisan manner when conducting our work and representing ourselves as Island Health employees. As a member of the public, when not at work or representing Island Health, everyone has the right to participate in the democratic process. Please ensure you review Island Health's Conflict of Interest Policy to understand your responsibilities.

• An employee's political activities must be separate from activities related to their employment.
• Employees must not engage in political activities during working hours or use Island Health facilities, equipment, or resources in support of political activities.
• Partisan politics must not impact operations in the workplace; however, informal, and private discussions among co-workers are acceptable.
• Employees must not use their position to lend weight to the public expression of their individual opinions.
• Employees should advise their leader of any personal activities that could conflict with their employment. ​

On-site Campaigning and Signs

• Island Health does not provide access to our sites – inside facilities or on the property – for political campaigning (including access to patients/employees, distribution of campaign materials, site tours, or photo opportunities).
• Campaign materials (i.e., signs/brochures) are not permitted to be distributed on Island Health property except for those specific to long-term care and assisted living.
• If a candidate or representative is on-site doing any campaign activities, and they refuse to leave, please escalate the issue to your site Director and the Protection Services team to address.​

Media or Campaigning On-site

Follow the established media guidelines for requests from news media by contacting our media team:

• • South Island: 250-370-8908
  • Central & North Island: 250-755-7966
  • Weekends, holidays, and after-hours: 250-716-7750​

Tours and Events with Other Levels of Government

Elected MLAs continue to represent their constituents up until September 21 when the election is formally called. At that point, MLAs no longer hold their office and become candidates (if they are running for re-election). All requests that involve elected officials from any level of government (including MLAs or candidates running to be MLA, MPs, or elected municipal officials), scheduled during the election period or the immediate pre-election period, must be submitted to the Communications and Partnerships Portfolio before being coordinated.

Please redirect these requests to Mike Lowe, Executive Director of Brand, Partnerships & Digital Engagement at Michael.Lowe2@islandhealth.ca or 250-217-5848, or Jamie Braman, VP of Communications and Partnerships.

Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Facilities ​

Recognizing care settings represent individual resident homes, candidate requests to visit sites are left to the discretion of the individual sites. If a resident invites a candidate to a care home, the candidate's visit should be limited to only meeting with that resident. Materials that are left behind by a candidate should be taken back to the client's room and not left in a communal area.

For provincial elections, Elections BC provides voting options for individuals who may have limited mobility such as patients and/or residents in long-term care facilities. Find more information: Voting Accessibility | Elections BC ​

Voting Options and Time Off for Voting​

The BC Elections Act provides for voters to have four (4) consecutive hours free from work to vote during advance voting or on Final Voting Day. Voting hours during advance voting are 8am to 8pm and on Final Voting Day are 8am to 8pm. Island Health employees who require time off work to vote should work with their leader to ensure patient care and operational needs are not negatively affected.

Information on ways to vote is available on the BC Elections website.

Important Dates for Awareness

Thank you.